Cornhill Revitalization Project History
Cornhill is the City of Utica's most historic and diverse neighborhood. Like many neighborhoods, time changes everything, and the once thriving and bright place to live, work and play, has been met with some challenges—a declining population, a poverty rate that is approaching 50%, increased gun and gang violence, and an aging housing stock that contributes to high rates of childhood lead poisoning. These statistics, combined with voices from the neighborhood on its needs, are what initially led the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties to explore the concept of what is called Impact Centers.
Impact Centers have been established to bring essential services to communities in need. Their mission aligns with their name — making a meaningful impact where it matters most.
The Community Foundation first began exploring the idea for a center in Cornhill back in 2016 with its Board of Trustees. A feasibility study was conducted on the former Utica Free Academy building in the heart of Cornhill as a possible location for the center. It was ultimately determined that the site was not a feasible option. Meanwhile, many community discovery sessions were being held with residents and organizations that serve the neighborhood to help guide the outcomes of the work.
The Community Foundation continued on, speaking with City and County officials, residents and nonprofit partner organizations about the project. In 2021, a clear partnership came to the forefront with Mid-Utica Neighborhood Preservation Corporation (MUNPC), better known as the Leisure Time Activity Center. This organization had existed for years, providing services out of its building located on West Street in Cornhill. The building had fallen into disrepair and the organization was in a position to build itself up. It became clear that this organization and this site would help to bring this Impact Center vision to life, all while building up the capacity of MUNPC. In that year, a site MOU was signed by the organization’s board of directors.
Around the same time, the former Renaissance Center on James Street in Utica was being considered for revitalization by the City of Utica and partner Collective Impact Network. Rather than having this project go forward in a silo, the decision was made to tie this project into the already existing Cornhill Revitalization Project. Two sites, one project. This concept of not one, but two impact centers providing different types of services to the neighborhood was unique and exactly what was needed. But there was one piece that was missing and that was housing.
In 2022, People First, formerly known as the Municipal Housing Authority, joined the project to manage a new housing component that would be integrated into the second floor of each center.
With all of the partnerships in place, the Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees committed $3 million over 30 years to the Cornhill Revitalization Project, with the idea to leverage this commitment and attract outside funding. In 2022, $1 million was awarded from the MetLife Foundation for the project. This allowed the Community Foundation to hire boots on the ground Community Project Strategists to start engaging with the community and partners of the project.
The demolition of the Leisure Time Activity Center took place in May 2024 and a groundbreaking for the West Street Impact Center is anticipated in 2025.
